2010
Employers: Small businesses can receive tax credits if purchasing insurance for
employees.
Insurers:
Cannot impose pre-existing condition exclusions on coverage for children. Must
cover preventive services without copays. Cannot remove coverage when a person
becomes ill. Cannot impose lifetime coverage limits. Health care reform also
regulates annual limits. Insurers must provide an improved way for consumers to
appeal health care decisions.
Uninsured: Individuals with pre-existing conditions receive immediate access to
coverage through a high-risk pool. Dependent children can remain on parents’
plans until age 26. States will be allowed to cover more people on Medicaid.
Early retirees: Employers were able to participate in a reinsurance program to help
provide coverage for retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses and
dependents over age 55 and not eligible for Medicare. Due to funding limits,
this program stopped reimbursements for claims incurred after Dec. 31, 2011.
Medicare Part D enrollees: A $250 rebate check received for those entering the
“donut hole” gap in coverage in 2010. Rebate payable by April 1, 2011.
2011
Insurers:
Required to spend at least 80 to 85 percent of premiums on medical services.
Medicare Part D enrollees: Receive a 50 percent discount on brand-name
prescription drugs when in donut hole coverage gap.
Health care savings account holders: Federal tax on those who spend health care savings
account money on ineligible expenses increases to 20 percent.
Over-the-counter drugs: Except for insulin, OTC drugs without a prescription
are not reimbursable from an FSA or HRA, and are not a tax-free reimbursement
from an HSA.
W-2: The
value of employees’ health coverage must be disclosed on their W-2 forms
(optional for 2011 for all employers, large employers must comply in 2012).
Seniors:
Certain free preventive services are provided for seniors on Medicare.
2012-2013
Taxpayers: Medicare payroll taxes increase to 2.35 percent for individuals earning
more than $200,000 and families earning more than $250,000.
Those with flexible savings accounts: A federal limit of $2,500 for individual pretax
contributions per year.
2014
Insurers:
Prohibited from refusing to sell or renew policies. Cannot deny coverage for
adults with pre-existing conditions. Limits ability to set prices on the basis
of sex, health status or other factors. Prohibited from imposing annual limits.
Uninsured: Most Americans required to buy health insurance or pay fines of $95 per
individual (or one percent of adjusted taxable income if this amount is
greater) and up to $285 per family. Families will pay half the amount for
children. Families can receive subsidies to buy insurance if they earn no
greater than four times the federal poverty level (about $88,000 per year for a
family of four). Individuals and small businesses can buy coverage through
state exchanges.
2015
Employers: Companies with 50 or more employees must provide affordable coverage
with minimum value or may be subject to a penalty.
Uninsured: Penalties for not carrying insurance increase to $325 per individual (or
two percent of adjusted taxable income if this is greater) and up to $975 per
family. Families will pay half the amount for children.
2016
Uninsured: Penalties for not carrying insurance increase to $695 per individual (or
2.5 percent of adjusted taxable income if this is greater) and up to $2,250 per
family. Families will pay half the amount for children.
2018
Taxpayers: A 40 percent excise tax imposed on high-cost employer-provided policies
($10,200 for individual coverage or $27,500 for family coverage).
2020
Medicare Part D Enrollees: Prescription drug coverage gap eliminated.
Source: www.healthcare.gov
